The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-08-18


lower Temperature.
Three shaggy ungroomed horses APP
peared in sight. AStride the first sat u
yemstchik bearing before him a huge
douga-the wooden arch which forms 50
conspicuous a portion of the harness Of
every draft horse in Russia, from the Bal
tie 90 the Pacific. Brilliant with blue and
red and green paint it presented-when
fastened 10 the shafts above the head Of
the central horse OF our troika-a striking
contrast To the diugy vehicle which for
the next nine weeks was To be our home
q large, deep, roughly built Sledge, open
in front. but covered in at the back with
a canvas hood lined with thick felt. The
yenlStchlkS seat consisted of a flat board,
apparently designed by a coach builder
ignorant of the fact that a sledge driver
Is, like other other human beings, gifted
with a pair of legs. From this board
slOped downward and outward, till their
points nearly touched the ground on either
side Of the SledLe. a pair of stout ash
poles, designed partially 70 prevent the
vehicle from OvertuEuiug, and partially
like the SCEtheS OF an ancient British war
chariot as weapons of defense and attack.
Into the bottom of this ~ledge our fOrmId-
able array OF baggage, including Il gOodly
supply of caunrd and frozen provisions,
was quickly packed; and over the whole
was spread a thick, folding mattress Of
raw cotton. which was to serve as a cUSh-
ion bv day and a bed by night We were
well provided with armOr To repel the at
tacl1s Of frost. With legs inCaSed in dog
skin socks goats hair stockings and thick
felt boots reaching to above the knees,
with double deerskiu ku6liankas-an ex-
celleut hooded garment Of Kamchatdale
manufacture. similar in appearance to the
EsquimaU dress-wiUh long, black shubaS
or coats Of sheepSkin, with fur caps GOV
ering the ears, and gloves made like those
Of our infancy having one receptacle for
the thumb and one for the four fingers
jointly, with u stout, felt lined rug or
sheepskiu, and an apron of felt attached
TO the front of the sledge, we were con-
WINGED that t6e cold need have but little
terror for us.
The packing of a Siberian sledge is a
science which cannot be mastered in a
single lesson; but after some difficulty all
was arranged for a fairly comfortable
start and, waving farewells 10 the friends
who. had collected to witness the setting
out Of our expedition, we went away at
gallOp on the first of the four hundred odd
stages which were before US. The effects
of the recent pOurga soon became pain
fully apparent. The slopes of the hills at
the back Of the port were entirely denuded
OF snow and it was with difficulty that
the horses could drag the heavy laden
sledge up the steep incHnes. Then IN the
valleys the deep suOwdrifts gave scarcely
less trouble But in little while the
road improved, the sun shOne out brightly,
and the weather was so mild that a single
sheepsbIn coat was more than sufficient
for warmth. The eNhilaraung sensation
Of gliding over snow road with three
fresh. high spirited horses gaLOping be
fore Us, raised our spirits and a sledge
Journey through Asia bore the aspect of a
pleasant holiday excursion. As soon as
We were clear of the town, the yemstchik
descended from his perch and lOOsened the
cIappers Of Two large bells suspended in
the dOuga, and we had our first taste Of
the music which was to accompany Us
from the Pacific to the Urals. The sledge
bells Of Siberia are not the tinkIng silver
bells Of POe's fancy. They are often a.
large a. an ordinary English dinner bell.
They vary in number from one up 20 five
or six. and are not always tuned to har-
mony. At first the ceaseless changing is
by no means agreeable, but after a time
the ear becomes accustomed to it, and
when on one or two occasions, while
travelling with private horses, no bells
were supplied to us, we felt that something
was wanting 10 the due enjoyment of
siedging.
After a two hours journey over hills
and through woods, with frequent pleas
ant glimpses of the sea and the surround
Ing Islands, we arrived 1T the first post
station Here we had a substantial fore
taste of the many trials Of patience in store
for as Only four trOikas, or teams Of
three horses, were kept at this station for
government posting purposes, and Ws
were therefore more grieved than surprised
TO learn that we had fourteen hours to
wait before proceeding on Cur journey.
The delay, however. afforded us an Op-
pOrtUuity Of studying more closely the
science OF sledgc packing, and having or
dered the eternal Samovar the handy
tea urn which is every Russian almost
3aseparahie cOmpauiOu-we made our
selves as comfortable as the circumstances
permitted At ! o'clock in the morning
o. Ettle before the fourteen hours expired
the grateful sound Of Harvesting horses
struck upon our ears. and few minutes
later three sleaLes, our own, with four
horses attached bringing up the rear,
were tOihnZ up a steep hill in the midst Of
the black night. II requires a certain
amount Of practice to sleep in a sledge on
b. rough, billy road, with the knowledge
that every two or three hours or less one
must Bliccht at a station, ascertain and
pay the fare for the next stage, select and
present to the yemstchik a pOrboire in
accordance with his deserts see fresh